


Eyes Wide Shut

by phenomanon



Category: CSI: Crime Scene Investigation
Genre: Drunken Confessions, Drunken Shenanigans, Fluff and Humor, Idiots in Love, M/M, Midwest Love, Original Character(s), Waiters & Waitresses
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-14
Updated: 2020-12-14
Packaged: 2021-03-10 23:09:09
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,558
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28075239
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/phenomanon/pseuds/phenomanon
Summary: Nick and Greg get a little help from their friends. (Mostly a Midwestern waitress named Dolores, don'tcha know?)Based on a writing prompt requested by kitty90s: “Wow I can’t believe he said you were ugly, hun he is clearly blind.”
Relationships: Greg Sanders/Nick Stokes
Comments: 10
Kudos: 17





	Eyes Wide Shut

**Author's Note:**

  * For [kitty90s](https://archiveofourown.org/users/kitty90s/gifts).



> For the lovely kitty90s who sent me a prompt on tumblr. Probably isn't what you expected but I hope you enjoy! 😅 Thx for requesting and reading~ 💖 OC Dolores exists b/c I read the prompt in a heavy Midwestern accent for some reason.

—

To say Greg Sanders was nervous would have been the greatest understatement of all time. He’d spent two inconceivable hours getting ready and another twenty minutes in the car pep talking himself. Since Greg moved to Vegas a couple of years ago, he’d only been on two dates which had both ended in disaster. With the holidays rapidly approaching Greg was convinced he needed a significant other, or at the very least, a warm body and a good time. Some claimed it was hard to date in New York or L.A. but Greg figured those people just hadn’t been to Las Vegas yet.

“Can I get ya somethin’ other than water, hun?”

Greg looked up from his anxious sipping session at the waitress who offered him a kind smile. She was shorter than most women with beautiful red curls and curves in all the right places. Her dark green eyes were piercing and her slightly chipped crimson nails affirmed that she didn’t take shit from anyone. 

“I’m good. Thanks Dolores.”

“You betcha. Thought ya might've wanted something tastier. Like tequila.”

Dolores' voice was buttery and sweet; laced with a smoker’s vibrato and heavy Midwestern gabble.

“Maybe later. If I’m lucky.” Greg said bashfully, pushing his glass towards the center of the table.

“You on a date?”

“Something like that.”

“Well isn’t that nice?” She replied smugly, “I’ll come check on you a lil later. Good luck hun.”

A few minutes of twiddling sweaty thumbs passed before Greg saw a familiar outline in the distance. He only had a few photos for comparison but was pretty sure that the tall, chiseled hunk walking towards Greg was his date for the evening.

“Hi!” Greg shouted a little too eagerly.

 _Strike one_. The man’s discreet smile transitioned into a mediocre musing once he reached the table.

“Is that really you in the photo?”

“What? Yeah of course.”

“You look different.” 

“That profile picture was from college but it’s definitely me.” 

“You certainly don’t look like that any more.”

Granted, Greg did look different from his college days. He’d gotten more muscular, though it was mostly from age and not the gym, and his skin was tanner from repeated exposure to the Vegas heat. But the biggest change that probably confused his date was that he no longer sported brown hair with hipster bangs and a moody fade. Greg’s locks were now thick, blonde, and spiked in every direction the sun shined.

“I guess I grew up. But that’s a good thing, right?”

Greg tried his best at lighthearted humor in the face of adversity, but his date looked less than impressed at his antics.

“Look, I’m into twinks.”

“What? I mean aren’t I—I don’t know, I feel like I’ve been called that before.”

“Kind of, but I wanted someone a little thinner, a little younger. Like your photo.”

“I just got my Master’s, man. I’m only 25.”

“Exactly.”

“Um...well. So what do you do Logan?”

“Financial analyst. You?”

“Right now I’m the chief lab tech for the Las Vegas Crime La—”

“Sorry Greg, I can’t do this. I wanted a cute 21 year old twink to have fun with. A little Lindsay Lohan and some clubbing, not whatever this is. See ya around.”

Before Greg could defend himself the handsome stranger waved him off and left; leaving the lab rat in a debilitating state of confusion.

**“Wow I can’t believe he said you were ugly, hun he is clearly blind.”**

“He didn’t actually call me ugly but...thanks.”

“Let me guess, fella was a business or finance major?”

Greg nodded sadly.

“Thought so. Looked like a prick.”

“Yeah.” Greg said with a crushing sigh.

“Oh for cryin' out loud, forget about him.”

“He was cute. Just not very nice.”

“You think _that’s_ cute? The men are even better lookin’ where I come from. I like me those big burly types. Somethin’ tells me so do you.”

“I don’t have a type. Haven’t dated enough to develop one yet.”

“Well tough tomatoes. Ya know I actually got a guy in mind for ya. He’s ah, customer. Comes in few times a week.”

“Yeah?”

“Ya. He’s got ah, nice smile, good build. Real polite fella. Think you two would get along.”

“Really? You intrigue me Dolores, tell me more.”

“For Pete’s sake, don’t be so keen if you want to keep a man. Play the game a little.”

Greg looked down at his drink again, now highly aware of his thirst.

“You’re right. I think I’ll take that shot now.”

“Comin’ right up. Jeet yet?”

“No. Add a grilled cheese to that please.”

“Good choice. Be back, hun.”

Greg sat back comfortably in the chair now that he had no one to impress. He was so distracted that he didn’t notice another familiar stranger take the seat in front of him.

“Hey G.”

“Nick? What are you doing here?”

“Just got off and wanted to grab a quick bite before goin’ home. Grissom’s been putting his experiments in the community fridge again so I skipped lunch.”

“Saw that.”

“Gross. Anyways, what are _you_ doin’ here?”

“I uh...same,” Greg lied, “Just ordered a tequila shot, want one?”

Nick laughed, making Greg tense up in his chair again. The Texan’s voice was soothing after the barrage of failures Greg had just experienced.

“I drove here so probably not. Next time.”

“All righty then…”

“Hey Nick,” Dolores suddenly cut in, dropping a few pieces of tableware between the two. She winked at Nick who returned her gesture with his own thousand-watt smile.

“Dolores! Greg, have you met Dolores yet? She’s amazing.”

“Name’s Dolores, nice to meet ya.”

“Uh...Nice to meet you too. I’m Greg.”

“Ah, Greg. So Nick, the usual?”

She turned her attention to the older man as Greg struggled to comprehend the situation.

“Better make that a steak and eggs. With a breakfast burrito on the side.”

“Ope, hungry are ya?”

“Starving. Skipped lunch today 'cause...”

“Critters in the fridge again?”

“Yep. You’re the only woman who understands me, Dolores.”

“If I had a nickel for every time someone told me that,” Dolores huffed, her eyes scanning and her mind scheming, “I’ll get that started for ya, hun.”

“Thanks. I’m gonna go wash my hands real quick.”

Nick excused himself from the table as Dolores’ face grew brighter than the harsh fluorescent bulb that loomed above them.

“That’s the fella.”

“Huh?”

“The fella I was tellin’ ya about.”

“Oh. _Oh_.”

“Not your style?”

“It’s just he...we work together.”

“So?”

“He’s straighter than 2-in-1 shampoo and conditioner.”

“Well, now wait a minute. How do ya know that?”

“I just know Dolores. He’s from Texas.”

“Jeez Louise that don’t mean nothin’. Now look here Greg, Nick’s a good man.”

“He * _is*_ a good man. He’s a great man. But he’s not…”

“Just trust me on this one. Drink your tequila, then take your shot.”

Dolores pushed the double shot glass underneath Greg’s nose and stared at him. He knew there’d be no denying her tenaciousness so he picked it up with a forced smile and threw it down the hatch. Greg’s face instantly contorted in disgust as he jammed an uneven and somewhat dried out lime into his mouth. She shook her head as she picked up the piece of glass and headed to the kitchen. Still delirious from the shot, Greg hadn’t noticed the lime now fused to his teeth like a second skin.

Nick returned from the restroom with his own amused expression and Greg just beamed at him sloppily, popping the lime out of his mouth into a napkin. The younger man felt the heat rising from his neck.

“Kinda hot in here right?”

Greg tried to unbutton his collar until he remembered he was wearing a t-shirt. 

“Steak and eggs, comin’ in hot.”

Dolores returned from the kitchen with a stack of plates and mountains of food.

“Mmm...wait, didn’t I…” Greg trailed off on his own, unable to confirm if there was a grilled cheese in the mix or not.

She disappeared without another word and Nick began to arrange the plates on the table. He was pretty sure that Dolores had picked the best cuts of steak for him because they were juicier than usual. There was also an enormous breakfast burrito next to three perfect oily eggs; sunny side up.

“Order any food Greg or just tequila?”

“I feel like I did...but I can’t remember.”

“Well this is a lot. You can have some of mine while we figure it out.”

Greg didn’t even wait for the end of Nick’s sentence to start digging in. He stabbed one of the steaks with his fork and quickly got to work chewing on the diner grade bovine.

“Tasty.”

“Sure is. So you just got off work?”

“Mmhmm.”

“Don’t remember you wearin’ such a fancy outfit at the lab.”

Greg was lucid, but he’d failed to understand how formally overdressed he was. Known for crazy shirts and loud prints, no one had ever seen him dress so sharply for the lab. The ensemble of a fitted black t-shirt with matching skinny jeans, tan suede jacket, and brown leather boots was definitely a sight for sore eyes.

“I changed. Hey you gonna eat that Nick?” Greg asked, pointing his fork at one of the eggs on Nick’s plate.

“Go for it.”

“Thanks,” Greg gargled between bites.

“Bottom’s up.” 

Dolores slammed another double shot and lime in front of Greg who merrily accepted the offering. He lifted the glass and made a swooshing motion before inhaling the clear liquid in one gulp. It went down much smoother this time, coated by an initial layer of shamelessness and lime. She grinned at the blonde and set down another glass of water in front of him before leaving. Once the second double shot kicked in, Greg’s form became a boneless bag of flesh. His movements were slippery; sliding everywhere without the ability to retain a stance.

“You’ve got a nice smile.” Greg abruptly declared, making Nick blush. 

“Thanks.”

“Would you ever smile for me?”

“I do smile for you.”

“I meant like...You know.”

“No, what do you mean Greg?”

Greg’s hands rotated in a circle as he tried to articulate his point, but no words came to him—a rare feat for the man who usually never stopped babbling. 

“Could you ever see me as more than just a goofy science geek?”

“What do you want me to see you as?”

“I don’t know. Do you like twinks?”

Nick’s eyes immediately shot open at Greg’s misguided question.

“What...what is that?”

“Apparently I’m not one, so beats me,” Greg slurred, shrugging his shoulders and feeling trapped by his shirt, “But hey maybe that’s not your thing. Maybe I can be your thing.”

“Greg I think you’re—”

“Never mind, forget I asked. So Grissom huh? Putting his weird blood or whatever in the fridge. What’s up with that man?” 

“Drink some water, G.”

“M’fine. I’m good. But I wish somebody would give me a chance so I could show them how good I am.” 

“Hey Dolores?” Nick called out politely, reaching into his back pocket for his wallet. 

“Yeah hun?” She shouted from halfway across the diner.

“Can I get some to-go boxes and the check?”

“You betcha. Be right there.”

“Whoa whoa whoa, you leavin’?” Greg swayed as he tried to interrogate Nick.

“I’ll drive ya home or you can sober up at my place. Whichever’s more comfortable for you.”

“What? Why? I’m fine!”

“I know you’re fine. Just thought it’d be nicer to go somewhere quiet.”

Dolores came back and boxed up the barely touched food, affectionately patting Nick on the shoulder whispering, “Take care of him Tex. He’s a good one.”

Nick smiled and nodded, putting down a couple of bills and leaving a generous tip for his favorite redhead. He rose from his chair and circled to Greg’s side to assist the younger man with his jacket. Greg begrudgingly punched his arms through the sleeves and walked haphazardly through the crowded diner. When they got to Nick’s Denali the older man stuck out his hand to help Greg into the large SUV. But ever the stubborn one, Greg tried to climb in on his own and slipped on the metal frame.

“You okay?”

“Fine.” He rasped, totally not fine, crawling into the car completely flushed.

Greg pulled the seat lever and reclined as far back as the chair would go, offering Nick an apologetic smile.

“Are you mad?”

“Nah.”

“To tell you the truth Nick, I was on a date before you showed up and it wasn’t so great. I wanted a little tequila to unwind but I think I unwound too much. I’m sorry.”

“Nothin’ to be sorry about. Just wanted to get you home before you said something you regretted in there.”

“Like what?”

“Like anything.”

Greg slumped defeatedly into the passenger seat with a sigh.

“Hey. Look at me.”

“Yeah?”

“Did you mean what you said in there?”

“If it offended you, we can pretend this whole thing never happened and...I owe ya one.”

“It’s not that. I uh…” Nick’s tongue darted out to moisten his lips which were growing dryer by the second. “I’ve always been fond of you, Greg.”

“Hm? Me?” The blonde pointed to himself questionably.

“Yes. You.”

“Oh.”

“You’re smart, funny...not bad to look at…” Nick could feel the heat rising in his own neck without having touched a single drop of alcohol.

“Did you just call me cute?”

“Not exactly in those words but…”

“Wait, does that mean you’re into guys?”

“Think I’m just into you, Greg.”

“Okay okay, I’m dreaming. This is a drunk hallucination, right?”

“No. Let’s get you home and we can talk about this some other time—when you’re sober.”

“I’m tipsy but I’m not wasted.”

“I’d rather talk about this when you’re completely sober.”

“But I won’t have the courage to bring this up again when I’m sober. I’m only saying this now because I had a little help from my friends. I...like you Nick.”

Nick swallowed the oncoming lump in his throat, unsure of what to say next. He noticed a small seed with pulp fragments stuck to the side of Greg’s face, so he brushed it off for the younger man. Greg melted into the intimate gesture, his heart beating fast and loud. Dolores’ words echoed in Greg’s head to ‘ _take his shot_ ’—so he did. Greg ghosted his hand over Nick’s and gently leaned in. Nick stiffened at first but eventually relaxed and started to explore Greg’s mouth with his own. The kiss ended as soon as it began with both men panting like they had just run a marathon.

“Wow.”

He could still taste Nick’s tongue on his and reveled in the afterglow. 

“That was...really really nice Nick, thank you. You can take me home now. I’m gonna pass out.” 

Greg leaned back in the passenger’s seat and closed his eyes.

“Okay. Um…”

“When I’m not intoxicated, will you ask me out on a real date? So we can continue this.”

“I’d like that.”

“You promise?”

Nick briefly unhooked their hands so he could link their pinky fingers together. He felt Greg’s smile widen once he made the silent gesture and grinned to himself.

—


End file.
